| name | pov-expansion |
| description | Use when seeking analogous solutions from other domains, when stuck on a problem and need fresh perspectives, or when evaluating whether approaches from field X might apply to field Y. Requires structured problem statement. |
POV-Expansion: Cross-Domain Perspective Generation
Generate systematic cross-domain perspectives through boundary spanning research frameworks. Uses structure-mapping theory, convergence tracking, and transfer evaluation to identify analogous problems and transferable solutions.
When to Use
Use this skill when:
- Stuck on a problem - Need fresh perspectives from outside your domain
- Evaluating analogies - Want to assess if approach from field X applies to field Y
- Seeking breakthrough insights - Ready for 2-3 hour deep exploration
- Have structured problem - Can articulate problem clearly enough for abstraction
When NOT to Use
Do NOT use when:
- Exploratory browsing - No specific problem statement (use /research-pipeline instead)
- Time-constrained - Need answer in <1 hour (this workflow takes 2-3 hours minimum)
- Well-understood problem - Already know the solution domain (direct research faster)
- Vague problem - Cannot articulate problem clearly (refine first)
Architecture
Three-tier architecture:
- Orchestrator: pov-expansion-pm (coordinates workflow, handles exceptions)
- Specialist Agents: 5 new agents for abstraction, perspective generation, synthesis, transfer evaluation
- Supporting Skills: Reuses requirements-analyst, fact-checker, devils-advocate, editor, strategist
Pre-flight Validation
Before invoking /pov-expansion, verify:
The 12-Stage Pipeline
Stage 0: Archival Guidelines Review
Owner: pov-expansion-pm (automatic)
Duration: 2-5 min
Checkpoint: Never (always runs automatically)
Session Setup: Creates /tmp/pov-session-{YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS}-{PID}/
Initialize workflow session and extract archival guidelines from project CLAUDE.md.
Process:
- Create session directory:
/tmp/pov-session-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)-$$/
- Read project CLAUDE.md (if exists in working directory or parent)
- Extract archival guidelines:
- Repository organization (directory structure for cross-domain analyses)
- Naming conventions (
analysis- prefix for POV expansion outputs)
- Git rules (commit after edits, no version-numbered files)
- Document structure requirements (Executive Summary, Key Parameters Table)
- Citation format (Nature-style inline)
- Write archival summary to session directory:
archival-guidelines-summary.md
- Store session path in workflow state for downstream agents
Output:
session_setup:
session_dir: "/tmp/pov-session-{timestamp}-{pid}/"
archival_summary_path: "{session_dir}/archival-guidelines-summary.md"
guidelines_found: boolean
guidelines_source: string
Quality Gate: Session directory created, archival summary written.
Failure Handling:
- CLAUDE.md not found: Use sensible defaults, log warning
- Session directory creation fails: ABORT (cannot proceed without session isolation)
Stage 1: Problem Refinement
Owner: requirements-analyst (reused)
Duration: 15-30 min
Receives: Session directory path from Stage 0
Quality Gate: Specific problem statement with measurable criteria
Stage 2: Problem Abstraction
Owner: pov-abstractor-classifier
Duration: 15-30 min
Quality Gate: Rasmussen hierarchy populated (5/5 levels)
Stage 3: Domain Classification
Owner: pov-abstractor-classifier
Duration: 20-45 min (includes user confirmation)
Quality Gate: 4 domains proposed (1+ Near, 1+ Mid, 1+ Far), user confirmed
Stage 4: Parallel Perspective Generation
Owner: pov-perspective-analyst (x4 parallel)
Duration: 30-60 min (parallel)
Quality Gate: 3+ perspectives complete, each with structural analogies
Stage 5: Parallel Verification
Owner: fact-checker (x2 parallel, reused)
Duration: 15-30 min (parallel)
Quality Gate: No factual errors in central claims
Stage 6: Convergence Analysis
Owner: pov-synthesizer
Duration: 20-40 min
Quality Gate: Convergence floor met (1+ theme in 2+ reports)
Stage 7: Transfer Evaluation
Owner: pov-transfer-evaluator
Duration: 20-40 min
Quality Gate: Transfer feasibility scored, Far field warnings added
Stage 8: Master Synthesis
Owner: pov-synthesizer
Duration: 45-90 min
Quality Gate: All perspectives integrated, convergent insights highlighted
Stage 9: Strategic Assessment
Owner: strategist (reused skill)
Duration: 20-40 min
Quality Gate: 3+ actionable recommendations with implementation paths
Stage 10: Adversarial Review
Owner: devils-advocate (reused)
Duration: 20-40 min
Quality Gate: Critical issues identified, mitigations proposed
Stage 11: Editorial Polish
Owner: editor (reused)
Duration: 15-30 min
Quality Gate: Consistent voice, no substantive errors
Timeout Configuration
| Stage | Timeout | Exceeded Action |
|---|
| 0 (Archival) | 5 min | ABORT - cannot proceed without session |
| 1 (Refinement) | 30 min | Escalate to user |
| 2 (Abstraction) | 30 min | Escalate to user |
| 3 (Classification) | 45 min | Proceed with HIGH confidence domains only |
| 4 (Perspectives) | 60 min total | Proceed with available (minimum 2 required) |
| 4 (per agent) | 20 min | Retry once, then skip |
| 5 (Verification) | 30 min | Skip verification (flag risk) |
| 6 (Convergence) | 40 min | Proceed with portfolio framing |
| 7 (Transfer) | 40 min | Lower confidence, proceed |
| 8 (Synthesis) | 90 min | Escalate to user |
| 9 (Strategic) | 40 min | Skip (optional) |
| 10 (Review) | 40 min | Deliver without review (flag risk) |
| 11 (Editorial) | 30 min | Deliver as-is, cleanup session |
Global Workflow Timeout: 8 hours
On Global Timeout: Save state, escalate to user
Session Cleanup:
- On successful completion (Stage 11 complete): Delete session directory
- On failure/abort: Retain session directory for debugging (log path to user)
Quality Gate Specifications
Gate 0: Session Initialization (Stage 0)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| Session directory created | exists and writable | Yes |
| Archival summary written | file exists | Yes |
| Session path stored in workflow state | path present | Yes |
Pass Threshold: 3/3 checks pass
On Failure: ABORT - cannot proceed without session isolation
Gate 1: Problem Abstraction (Stage 2)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| Rasmussen levels populated | 5/5 levels | Yes |
| Structural elements identified | >= 3 elements | Yes |
| Constraints defined | >= 1 constraint | Yes |
| Success metrics measurable | >= 1 metric | Manual |
Pass Threshold: 4/4 checks pass
On Failure: Return to Stage 1 with feedback (max 2 iterations)
Gate 2: Domain Classification (Stage 3)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| Domains proposed | 4 domains | Yes |
| Near field present | >= 1 | Yes |
| Far field present | >= 1 | Yes |
| User confirmation | Required | No |
Pass Threshold: All checks pass
On Failure: Re-run with user guidance
Gate 3: Perspective Generation (Stage 4)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| Perspectives complete | >= 3 of 4 | Yes |
| Structural analogies per perspective | >= 2 | Yes |
| Domain-specific examples | >= 2 per perspective | Yes |
| No placeholder text | 0 instances | Yes |
Pass Threshold: All checks pass
Marginal Pass: 3/4 checks (flag in synthesis)
On Failure: Retry failed perspective or proceed with reduced coverage
Gate 4: Transfer Feasibility (Stage 7)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| All perspectives evaluated | 100% | Yes |
| Structural similarity scored | All have scores | Yes |
| At least one high-transfer analogy | >= 1 with score > 0.6 | Yes |
| Far field warnings added | All Far field have warnings | Yes |
Pass Threshold: 4/4 checks pass
Marginal Pass: 3/4 (proceed with caution flag)
On Failure: Return to Stage 3 with broadened domains
Gate 5: Synthesis Coherence (Stage 8)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| All perspectives referenced | 100% | Yes |
| Convergent insights highlighted | >= 1 | Yes |
| Contradictions resolved | 0 unresolved | Manual |
| Executive summary present | Yes | Yes |
Pass Threshold: All checks pass
On Failure: Return to synthesis with feedback
Gate 6: Strategic Actionability (Stage 9)
| Check | Threshold | Automated? |
|---|
| Actionable recommendations | >= 3 | Yes |
| Implementation paths | Each has path | Yes |
| Timeline/effort estimates | Present | Yes |
Pass Threshold: All checks pass
On Failure: Add missing elements or skip stage
Session Directory Structure
Location: /tmp/pov-session-{YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS}-{PID}/
/tmp/pov-session-{YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS}-{PID}/
├── archival-guidelines-summary.md # Stage 0 output
├── workflow-state.yaml # Workflow state for resume
├── progress.md # Progress tracking
├── stage-1-refinement.md # Stage 1 output
├── stage-2-abstraction.yaml # Stage 2 output (structured)
├── stage-3-domains.yaml # Stage 3 output (structured)
├── stage-4-perspectives/ # Parallel outputs
│ ├── near-field-1.md
│ ├── near-field-2.md
│ ├── mid-field.md
│ └── far-field.md
├── stage-5-verification/ # Parallel outputs
│ ├── verification-1.md
│ └── verification-2.md
├── stage-6-convergence.md
├── stage-7-transfer.md
├── stage-8-synthesis.md
├── stage-9-strategic.md
├── stage-10-review.md
├── stage-11-final.md # Final deliverable
└── failure-log.md # Failure tracking
Workflow State Schema
workflow_state:
workflow_id: string
problem_statement: string
started_at: ISO8601
current_stage: integer
stages_completed: [integer]
session:
session_dir: string
archival_guidelines_path: string
guidelines_found: boolean
guidelines_source: string
cleanup_on_complete: boolean
artifacts:
stage_0: path | null
stage_1: path | null
stage_2: path | null
stage_11: path | null
status: enum[in_progress, paused,
[]
Session Handling on Resume:
- If session directory exists: Reuse existing session
- If session directory missing: Re-run Stage 0 to recreate (non-destructive)
Error Handling Protocols
Catastrophic Failure Protocol (Stage 4)
When ALL perspective agents fail:
- Detection: 0 valid outputs from 4 parallel agents
- Check for partial outputs: Any content > 500 chars is "partial"
- Present user options:
PERSPECTIVE GENERATION FAILED: All 4 agents failed
Failures:
- Near Field 1: [status]
- Near Field 2: [status]
- Mid Field: [status]
- Far Field: [status]
Options:
(A) Retry SEQUENTIALLY (slower but more stable)
(B) Retry with 2 agents only (Near + Mid fields)
(C) Review partial outputs if available
(D) Abort workflow, preserve problem abstraction
Convergence Floor Protocol
Minimum Convergence Threshold:
- 1+ themes appearing in 2+ reports, OR
- 2+ strategies appearing in 2+ reports, OR
- 1+ structural analogies across 2+ domains
On Zero Convergence:
- Re-analyze with relaxed matching (related concepts, not exact)
- Look for "anti-convergence" (all agree something doesn't work)
- If still zero: Offer portfolio framing (present as independent options, not validated patterns)
User Response Timeout Protocol
| Gate | Timeout | Default Action |
|---|
| Domain Classification | 10 min | Proceed with HIGH confidence domains only |
| Transfer Feasibility | 5 min | Proceed with portfolio view |
| Strategic Priority | 5 min | Present all options without prioritization |
Parallel Execution
Stage 4: Perspective Generation (Fork-Join)
parallel_execution:
stage: 4
pattern: fork_join
max_agents: 4
agent_assignment:
agent_1: "Near Field 1"
agent_2: "Near Field 2"
agent_3: "Mid Field"
agent_4: "Far Field"
output_paths:
agent_1: "/tmp/pov-session-{id}/stage-4-perspectives/near-field-1.md"
agent_2: "/tmp/pov-session-{id}/stage-4-perspectives/near-field-2.md"
agent_3: "/tmp/pov-session-{id}/stage-4-perspectives/mid-field.md"
agent_4: "/tmp/pov-session-{id}/stage-4-perspectives/far-field.md"
completion:
minimum_required: 2
proceed_on_timeout: true
log_missing: true
Stage 5: Verification (Parallel)
parallel_execution:
stage: 5
pattern: parallel
max_agents: 2
assignment:
agent_1: "Near + Mid perspectives"
agent_2: "Far perspective + cross-check"
Success Criteria
